19,200 words this chapter, enjoy!

"I just figured out who he reminds me of, partially because it seems like your thoughts are a bit distracted right now, is that why you were blushing earlier?" Shadow asked on the way back to the others. Aurora didn't respond, too deep in thought. He placed a paw on her shoulder in an attempt to snap her out of it. Aurora jumped at the touch, "hm?" Shadow repeated himself. "Oh, no" Aurora said, obviously lying. "So it is, Don't worry, I don't have a problem with it at all." Shadow said, "Though I understand why you didn't say earlier, I probably would've reacted differently." He chuckled. "I am so bad at lying," Aurora said, "but yeah, I didn't want to tell you."

"I understand why," Shadow said. "Yeah, he reminds me of your father, quite a lot too," Aurora said. "In other words you like him." Shadow said. "In that case I hope you two cross paths again." Shadow said. "Yeah, but it is painfully obvious that Blaze likes me, don't know what i'm going to do with him" Aurora said, sighing. "I could tell mainly because of what I heard about what happened to that salazzle, tell him you don't feel the same, unless you do. It's easier than it seems, I told Gem off easily enough so I know from experience." Shadow explained. "But here is the thing, I don't know how I feel about it. Look at me, asking my own son about relationship advice," Aurora chuckled.

"Just listen to your heart, it won't steer you wrong. Follow what it is your heart desires." Shadow told her. "I got that, but I don't know what it wants, that is what I'm trying to figure out, honey" Aurora said. "You'll figure it out when the time is right." Shadow said. "I hope so." Aurora said before stepping out into the clearing. "You will, believe me." Shadow said. Night waved to them as they left the forest behind them, catching Blaze's attention, who then waved as well. "Now, shall we get this taken care of?" Shadow asked, pulling the berry seemingly out from nowhere. "Yeah" Night said, pulling the disk out from earlier. Everyone grabbed onto it.

The world around them faded to black as their bodies were ripped from the physical planes of existence. When their eyesight returned, they were in the lobby of the arena. "We are back," Night said. "So you said you knew a guy?" Shadow asked. "Yeah, Blaze, you know Clair?" Night asked. Blaze responded with, "yeah, of course I know her." "Let's go then," Night said, walking out of the place still holding half of the disk. The rest of the group followed. Outside was the other half of the disk, which immediately joined it's brother, then Night put them away in a fifth dimensional rift and closed it. "Isn't Clarice's on the other side of town?" Blaze asked.

"Yeah," Night said, "but I like the scenic routes when possible." "Not like a town can be very scenic." Shadow said. "There are some very beautiful things in town," Aurora said. "You know me, I hate artificial things." Shadow said, "or more accurately, despise." "who said anything about them being artificial?" Night asked him. "Even if the place is inhabited by pokémon it is most definitely and entirely made by those despicable humans." Shadow scoffed. "I get what you are saying, but I'm talking about the natural landscape," Night said, "but if you want to be there now, I can arrange that."

"Most of the town would be a natural landscape if humans weren't so evil and only tore down and built what was necessary and replanted what they stole from us." Shadow responded. "The village here did ask for it to be done, but that was years ago, before I ever got here," Night said, knowing the city's past a little. "And yet nothing was ever restored, now was it?" Shadow said, "as I said every last one of those humans are pure evil, there is no good in humans." "That is not true" Night said. "Must I remind you of the lab, what they did to all those mon, me, and even my father?" Shadow interrupted, "Every last one of their kind deserves death, they have no right to live in this world."

"While a lot do, not all of them," Night said in a reserved tone. "They are all evil, clearly you don't remember what their kind has done to me and those pther mon, or in their words 'subjects' and the fact that they killed them and my father in cold blood." Shadow said resentingly. "And you will- Blaze, take the others to Clair's, Shadow and I will be along in a bit" Night said, controlling his tone. "Okay, come on guys" Blaze said, getting the seriousness of Night's request. The others followed him. Once they got out of earshot, Night continued, "you haven't met Alita, then, or John, for that matter." "what, are they humans too? Well I'll rip them from this world myself then." Shadow said, his nails extending.

"Touch Alita and I WILL kill you" Night said, venom dripping from his voice. "Your threats do not scare me, and why are you defending humans? You're a traitor to your own kind. But even then because you are family, I wouldn't even think of killing you." Shadow said, putting his paw down. "I don't care if you massacre the rest of them, but I will protect Alita and John with my life, if it so calls for it." Night said, his calm voice speaking the anger. "You can't protect humans forever you traitor, and I refuse to continue living with a traitor." Shadow said, running off into the forest. Night sighed, knowing he pushed Shadow too far this time, "but he will have to understand one day..." Night began to walk to the others.

Shadow...

He ran deeper into the woods. "This time I will not return under any circumstance, if they get into trouble they can either run or deal with it." Shadow said to himself. "They don't need the berry, when I find myself a new home, I can plant it, for I know the perfect time to plant it." He continued as he continued walking deeper and deeper into the forest. "And this time I won't leave you." Sylvia told him.

The others.

Night was still thinking of the fight with shadow when they reached the shop, maybe i overreacted a lot. I should make it up to him, you know what, I will next time I see him. "Night, hon?" Aurora asked, waving a paw in front of his face. A litten was sitting there patiently. "Oh, sorry Clarice, did you say something?" Night asked. "No, just waiting, I saw you thinking, I didn't want to interrupt you." Clarice said. "Oh, sorry, was just thinking of some things that I said earlier to Shadow." Night said, seeing that the others were looking around the small shop. "He's your brother, right?" Clarice asked, remembering all the times Night had talked of him.

"Yeah, I said some things I shouldn't have, now I'm regretting it," Night said, taking a seat at the 'bar' for smoothies that she makes. "Let him cool off then make it up to him, if you try to before he cools off, he won't believe it, I would know, the same happened between me and my sister," Clarice said. "How is she anyway?" Night asked her. "Alexis is fine, last I heard, she had found herself a mate, but for the life of me, I can't remember their name," Clarice responded. "Good for her" Night said, the news lifting his spirits a bit, "But yeah, I really should make it up to him, thanks for the talk Clarice." "Of course, I help where I can, it is one of the greatest joys I get in life," Clarice responded.

"Oh, can I get the usual?" Night asked, placing 45 poke on the bar, knowing full well that the drink was only 40.

Shadow

"Welp the forest just got creepy all of a sudden, what happened to the lighting?" Shadow asked no one in particular. "Whatever, any ghost types bother me I can deal with them, they are weak against dark type moves somehow." He said to himself, "either way I am not going back there, I refuse to live with a traitor, much less near one." He continued as he stalked through the shadows to stay out of sight of any potentially dangerous mon. "Even so I think you should still head back a little bit, this forest, er this part of this forest feels really dang-" Sylvia was interrupted by a large screech. As Shadow got further he saw some mon which had been turned to stone.

"Yveltal's been here." He whispered to himself. "I think we should get out of here, Xerneas can deal with them." Sylvia said. "No, I am not going to leave these mon again, I won't make that mistake again, I will not be a coward again." Shadow told her and climbed one of the trees. "All right you bastard Yveltal, where are you, show yourself you coward." He said. Not good, need to warn Terra then she can warn the others, hopefully someone can stop him from making a dumb choice. Sylvia thought and then made contact with Terra and warned her. Then a dark beam came seemingly out of nowhere. Then he was tackled by someone.

"Watch out you fool! Don't be a hero!" When Shadow looked, he saw it was the umbreon from earlier, I wasn't only assigned to ensure you didn't lose control, but also to keep you and anyone of your friends and family aalive, I've been watching from the shadows to make sure everything would remain fine." He said.

Night's pov, two hours later

I have tried to reach Shadow for the past hour, everyone else is asleep, even Terra is asleep, which isn't surprising, knowing all the things that happened today. I fully expected him to act like this, but cant believe he is completely ignoring me. I should've expected that, but like I said, not all Trainers are bad, he doesn't know about my time in alola, Alita loves me like family, Firestar, Haunter, a jolteon also is named Terra, Mork, that Arbok is surprisingly friendly for his kind, then that ditto. Interesting bunch, but like the ones in this den, they are as close as family. I yawned I don't know what to make of the warning, though, Terra said it was from Sylvia, which is probably the only thing I have received from them two since the fight.

I'm probably not going to sleep over the worry for them. I know they will be fine, but I won't sleep until I get something from him. I probably won't for a long while, he's probably still mad at me for defending two humans, but he doesn't know them, so he can't make judgement on them. There are a lot of things I need to tell him. And should tell him when he gets back. I continue to sit there, waiting.

Back with Shadow

ugh where is he. Sylvia thought. Dusk was petrified by now from trying to save Shadow from Shadow's poor choice, as Shadow continued to try battling Yveltal. "I'll take you down even if it's the last thing I do!" Shadow screamed in a fit of rage, using every move he can think of against him. "This thing is nullifying every attack its death beam hits, maybe I can use my swiftness to get around him and use physical attacks." He said to himself as he ran/jumped across the treetops, going around Yveltal, once he got completely behind Yveltal he lunged at him, preparing a Dark Pulse. Yveltal spun around quickly and whacked him down with his wing.

Yveltal then used the death beam, Shadow tried to dodge it in mid-air but ultimately failed in the end for the beam caught the end of his tail. "Dammit! Not good." He said to himself, Might as well make contact with Night one more time. Shadow thought and then tried making contact. "Night, hello? Are you there?" He called. "If you can hear me, then I wanted to say I'm sorry, I guess if anything I'm the one putting himself first... good... goodbye, brother, see you on the other side, a.k.a in death, because that's where I'll be headed, don't fight Yveltal, you can't beat him, I tried." He called again before the stone completely enveloped him.

Meanwhile: Night

All was well, then there was screaming "Where is Sylvia, sheisindanger, wegottogohelpher." Terra's words began to blent together in Night's Mind. "alright, alright, can you explain?" Night asked her. "Sort of, not exactly, though, I can tell what direction," Terra said, "sorry." "Anything helps" Night said, getting up and running out of the den, taking directions from Terra on where to go. In 26 minutes, Night arrived in a clearing where he found Shadow, who, in this darkness, seemed to be standing there. He is right there, but where is the line? Night thought, then he remembered the warning, shit, where are they? Where is the one of Death?

Night began to look for signs of other creatures, Terra sent out an aura search. "Honey, they are here," Terra told him. where? Night asked her, who responded with, "above." Night looked up to see a shadow covering the moon I would have never known they were up there, now, how about we take them by surprise? Night asked Terra. "Always" Terra responded. Xerneas then appeared. "Sorry I'm late, I was busy elsewhere. Am I to assume you stalled him long enough to prevent more mon from being petrified?" She asked. "Shh, your rival is still here, Xerneas." Night said in a hushed voice. "Yes I know, some idiot awakened him again." She whispered, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"And he has gotten my brother there, and my mate's sister as well." Night said. "ThThank you for keeping him busy for me, but I would appreciate you doing so for a little longer." She said assuming he had kept Yveltal bubusy as she went over to restore the life in the area. "Alright, want me to distract him, I will. Terra, either you need to get out or you will be rendered unconscious." Night spoke. Terra left his mind, afraid of what he was going to do. Night began to chant, voice turning dark and purple flares spilling from his eyes as he began to float, black crystals forming around him and encasing him. Then the sphere shattered into little birds revealing a beast from within it.

"Ugh.. my head." Shadow said when he was restored. He looked over and noticed what appeared to be a beast of sorts and jumped back, "What the hell is that?!" He questioned. The beast took a step and sent a kinetic blast out, making anything flying, earthbound in a ten kilometer radius. "How do you want to be pulverized, Yveltal?" the thing bellowed. Yveltal only screeched in response. Shadow was hiding behind a tree. "Xerneas, get everyone out" the Beast called out, before being struck by lightning, making it glow a brilliant blue. Xerneas lead everyone out but noticed one of the people she'd restored was missing. "Of course, out of all the mon to have forgotten, it was the young shadow."

She sighed and went back and then got him out of there. A shield went up as soon as they left the clearing, Many runes dancing along the surface of it, accompanying the shield was a large rumble emanating from inside. "Night, be careful in there," Terra said, her temporary form of ice glimmering in the moonlight. "He'll be fine, he's a thousand times more resilient than I." Shadow told her. "You saw that beast, you know what Yveltal can do. I don't think anything in that shield will survive..." Terra said, solemnly. "So basically if he dies it'll essentially be my fault, like all the other bad things that's happened to those who's even involved with me." Shadow said.

"No, it will be his own for thinking he can take on the god of death." terra said. "Yet this wouldn't even be happening if I didn't run off, if I weren't so damn selfish..." Shadow said, self hate clear in his voice. "Sylvia, please reason with your mate," Terra said. "What is there to reason with me about, it's true, everyone knows it, she's given up on trying to as well." Shadow said. "You may think that, but there is a thing called 'fate' I think you may have heard of it? Things that are out of our control happen and no one is to blame, it is only our actions that we can be blamed for," Terra said. "Yet actions have consequences, we are to be blamed for those consequences." Shadow said.

"But the things that happen aren't because of you, they happen for a collection of actions," Terra said, form melting away. I'll have to have Night thank her for me when I get the chance. Shadow thought. There was a blast again then the shield shattered, the runes still there, but frozen and gold, then they expanded and the space inside shrank, one by one, they exploded. The beast from before reared its head and oozed into the sky as the sun rose. Night fell from the Beast, unconscious from the looks of it. Yveltal was nowhere to be seen. Shadow ran over to Night. "Are you okay Night?" Shadow asked worriedly. There was no response from Night, just his steady breathing.

Shadow sighed and picked him up and brought him to the den and put him in his room, then returned to his own and lied down. There was a knock on the doorway wall. "Yes?" He asked. Violet entered the room and sat, "two things, one, what happened to dad?" Shadow explained what had happened. "That answers my other question of why Xerneas is here," Violet said, "but what caused you and dad to fight?" "My hatred for humans." Shadow answered, "I'd have left already but I owe Night an apology and Terra a thank you." "yeah, that makes sense, he really doesn't have a problem with you hating them, but doesn't like that you stuff all of them together like that, you don't know any to make that judgement," Violet said.

"You keep forgetting what they did to me, over a thousand mon, and my father." Shadow told her. "And those guys are dead, are they not?" Violet asked. "They're humans are they not?" Shadow asked, "approximately two thousand." "so? That is like saying that because one umbreon was rude once, that you are too, each one is different, shadow, just remember that, okay?" Violet asked. "Humans are nothing like us!" Shadow scolded. "They take and take, they destroy with absolutely no regard for nature, they don't bother replanting, they are filled with nothing but greed and corruption, all they ever do is destroy everything good in this world.

Such evil beings, humans, don't deserve to live in a world as good as this!" Violet sat there, waiting to make sure he was done before speaking, "you can't say that about any human, for you don't know any that are alive, unless you know John, but knowing you, you don't." "I'll kill them before they get the chance to do anything corrupted, that way their innocence would be preserved, plus that is one less person to ruin this beautiful world." Shadow replied. "Like I said, not all of them are like that weird fantasy of yours, but a lot are, not all," Violet said, making the last two words stand out. "Corruption is inescapable for humans, unlike us pokémon, most of us are pure.

Few can be bad, even then, at least they don't destroy all that is good." Shadow responded. "Okay, fine, come with me," Violet said, getting up, "unless you are too stubborn to see anything different than what you think." She left the room. Shadow got up and followed her. Violet, with Shadow following, went to her father's room. "I recommend you sit for this." Violet said, sitting herself. "I'd rather just..." Shadow said as he lied down where he was. "That works too" Violet said, closing her eyes and using her gem then they were plunged into Night's memories, but not the one Shadow knew.

Alola region, 18 years ago

A little eevee was running around without a care in the world when a teenage girl walked up and saw the eevee and said something. "We wont be able to understand her till after the pokeball, i have seen this alot" a ghost form of Violet told the ghost version of Shadow. "Okay?" Shadow said, confused. The Girl tossed out a pokeball and it opened, casting out a torracat. "Hi there, little one," it spoke. "Hi, who are you" the eevee asked. "I'm sorry, little one" the cat said before using Ember on the eevee. "Exactly, going against a little eevee like that? Evil." The ghost form of Shadow said. "Keep watching, you will understand in a little bit." Violet said.

Then the girl tossed out another pokeball and it captured, then the world went black, after a minute the world went a brilliant white, but it didn't hurt, then back to black after two to three minutes later the world returned, but they have moved. "So that's what it's like inside a pokeball?! That's horrible, so first they go against a small nearly defenseless eevee, then they put them in a little space as bad as that?!" the ghost form of Shadow exclaimed. They were on a beach overlooking the sea, alita was sitting down on the sand with a pokebean in her hand, the eevee skeptically reached out for the bean, then sighed and laid down in her lap.

The trainer started to stroke the eevee's fur, "you are adorable, Night," she said to him. "Well guess I was wrong, but what about the whole pokeball situation? That's still horrible, it's either pitch black or blinding white inside those things apparently." Shadow said. "They actually aren't, but you cant see it as you haven't been in one," Violet said. "Actually I was almost in one but I escaped the trainer before they could catch me." Shadow said. "I'm Alita, Night, I promise to take good care of you while you are under my care." the trainer, Alita, said. "Then why didn't you see anything while Night was in the ball?" Violet wondered.

"I said I was almost in one, not that I was in one, back when I ran away the first time I ran into a trainer." Shadow replied. "Oh, okay yeah, that makes much more sense," Violet said. "Yeah she had a Sylveon named Ivy" Shadow told her. Violet didn't say anything on that. Alita began to scratch behind Night's ear "oh my god..." Night sighed. The world faded to black.

Present time, Kalos

"Now do you understand?" Violet asked, dropping memory for them, but leaving her father in it. "Yeah..." Shadow said, "honestly I feel envy, I guess because his experience with humans was good but mine was complete torture, horrible." Shadow said. "Yeah, like he undoubtedly said, not all humans are bad, though I do want to show you some bad ones, not as bad as the ones that you have dealt with, but bad all the same," Violet said. "Not like anyone could possibly understand what I went through without being there." Shadow told her. "I'm not claiming to know it, but I do get where you are coming from on it.

Would you like to see some of the bad humans? Well, former evil humans?" Violet asked. "No thanks. However, I almost want to meet that Alita." Shadow chuckled. "You probably will one day, dad wants to show this place to her" Violet said, "but the human I was speaking of, uh, do you know cosmog?" Violet asked. "Sort of, met him in a dream of sorts, it's one of Solgaleo's evolutionary forms." Shadow said. "No, Cosmog, or Nebby, as she was called, is commonly called Solgaleo's sister, as they both open Ultra wormholes and traverse them she evolved into lunala in the Moon line, but in the Sun line, yes." Violet said. "Well anyways I'm going to wait for Night to waken." Shadow said.

"Okay, just please don't tell him that I watch him and Alita, I like to watch them and the rest of them out there." Violet said. "Can't make any promises." Shadow joked. "Please don't," Violet said, not picking up that he was joking. "I'm not going to." He said. with that Violet left the room.

The next day

Shadow sat there, watching, waiting patiently for Night to waken. "Shadow, you have been sitting there for the past twelve hours, you need to sleep," Lilly said, seeing that he was still there. "I'm fine." Shadow said. "No you aren't, you have been awake for 42 hours straight, you need sleep." Lilly said. "Minus the amount of time I was petrified for, but still, trust me, I'm fine sis." Shadow replied. "Okay, fine, 42 hours since you last slept, '' Lilly said. "Trust me, I'm fine." Shadow repeated. "Fine, but get some sleep soon" Lilly said, "i know you care about him, but you got to take care of yourself too, brother." She then left after setting the plate of food for him down.

Shadow ate what she gave him then continued waiting. Violet sighed as she entered the room to sit with Shadow, "you know what I said about this, so I won't t0ell you again." "About what?" Shadow asked. "About dad and his current predicament," Violet said, "I know mom, you have told me many times, please don't say it again." "? You never said anything about him, and say what again?" Shadow asked. "Oh, yeah, sorry, I told the others, you weren't there. Yeah, um he won't be waking anytime soon, that and his power wellspring is depleted." Violet said. "Well I'll wait as long as it takes, I owe him an apology." Shadow said.

"It will be a week at least before he wakes," Violet informed him, "if he wakes." "What do you mean if?" Shadow asked. "He may not wake, judging by what he did to his body, but I hope he does wake," Violet explained. "This is my own damn fault if I hadn't overreacted and ran off like that, this wouldn't even be happening, he wouldn't have even had to go looking for me." Shadow said, lowering his head. "He made the decision to go and do it, '' Violet said. "Yet I pushed him to it, earlier yesterday I said he only cared about himself then family after, and then I called him a traitor later on, before I ran off." Shadow said.

"if anything I'm the selfish one." He continued as he began to cry silently. Violet hugged him, "the final decision was still his, doesn't matter what you did, it was his decision on what to do." Shadow just hugged her tightly, sobbing. "That's right, get it out, it will feel better after," Violet said, rubbing his back. Shadow stayed like that, just crying for a few minutes before letting go, sniffling a bit, "Thanks. I needed that." "Of course, feel better?" Violet asked. "Yeah." Shadow stated. "Good, now, why don't you head off to sleep, I'll keep watch on him, okay?" Violet asked.

"Wake me if anything happens." Shadow said then went to his room and passed out before he even could lie down and get situated on the leaf pile that was his bed. He needs it. Violet thought, "mom, can you ask Sylvia to keep uncle safe? ... thank you." I wish I could help you, dad, but I don't know how...

Two hours later

Shadow woke up from a decent dream as he got up and stretched, he went out to the main area, to his surprise dusk was there, and Blaze. "Hey, what are you two doing here?" Shadow asked. "I'm just keeping an eye out for my best interests." Dusk said, then Shadow turned to Blaze. "And you?" He asked. "I don't know his true reason, but I feared the worst when Night wasn't at the arena to meet the challengers earlier, so I came to make sure he was okay, or help, if necessary," Blaze said. "There's a chance he may never wake up." Shadow said sadly. "I know, Violet told me," Blaze said, obviously down because of the fact. "So who's going to run the stadium in Night's absence?" Shadow asked.

"John has already notified everyone that it will be closed until further notice, so that has been taken care of," Blaze informed him. "Oh okay." Shadow said, "So where's ma?" "Aurora is still in town, worrying," Blaze said, "though if you want her to come, she will drop everything and come." "It's fine. I can go to her." Shadow said. "Do you even know where she lives?" Blaze asked him. "I thought she lived here." Shadow said. "No, she has a house in town, haven't you noticed that she didn't come here anymore, except when asked?" Blaze asked. "Actually she hasn't come here since I thought she had died, which she found out I was still alive less than 2 days ago." Shadow said.

"Oh..." Blaze said, at a loss as to what to say to that. "Yeah." Shadow said, "hopefully she moves back in again." "I don't think she will, as today was the final payment on it,but it is still a big possibility," Blaze said. "I really hope she does." Shadow said. "Okay, you and Night are the most able to make her do it, so..." Blaze said. "So where in town is she?" Shadow asked. "The west residential area, you know what, I'll show you, just let me know when," Blaze said. "Like now." Shadow said. "Mind if I tag along, I have something I want to say to her." Dusk said. Blaze narrowed his eyes at Dusk, "Not up to me."

"Go ahead, I mean if you wanted to harm someone you probably would've done so already." Shadow said, "plus you kind of remind me of my dad." Shadow said. "Meh, as I said, only looking out for my best interests." Dusk replied. "Welp we going to go now?" Shadow asked Blaze. "Yeah, bye Violet, bye Lilly, see you Comet," Blaze said, the three saying bye to him as well before he left. Dusk somehow didn't make a sound as he walked, even his breathing was barely noticeable. Shadow noticed his stealthiness and didn't say anything for he was more focused on his thoughts. "How does he do that?" Violet wondered. "No telling," Lilly said.

"Come on, let's go, we're burning daylight." Dusk said. "Chill, we got here from town in forty-six minutes, there is still a good four and a half hours of daylight left," Blaze said. "Yes, but it is best we get there as soon as possible," Dusk retorted. "We get there when we get there, okay?" Blaze said, clearly annoyed by Dusk's impatience. Shadow only chuckled, "I can't tell if his patience is worse or just as bad as mine." He laughed. "This is going to be fun," Blaze said, sarcastically. Shadow only chuckled, "c'mon let's get going, I'd think you'd be eager to see her." Shadow said, grinning. "Don't get me wrong, I am, but I don't like to be rushed," Blaze said, fighting to keep the blush off of his face.

"Everyone knows it, it's so obvious. By the way." Shadow said moving up to his ear, "Dusk also reminds my mother of my father." He whispered in Blaze's ear. "So I hear," Blaze said, venom dripping from his whispering. "Anyways, let's get going shall we?" Shadow asked after pulling his head away from Blaze's ear and then speaking up. Dusk nodded in agreement. "Okay," Blaze said, keeping his hatred from his voice. They started walking, after a few minutes Shadow asked, "Hey Dusk, how are you so silent?" "Many months of training to do it than many more to make it a natural movement pattern.

Plus having softer paws also helps, yeah, my claws were removed by some people that felt they were a bit dangerous, honestly I'm glad they were removed, it helps with stealth tremendously." Dusk replied. Blaze didn't pay him any mind, not caring. "So Blaze, how exactly did you and Night meet?" Shadow asked. "I would rather not explain that, thanks," Blaze said, absently. "That's okay, I'm sure Night will if he wakes." Shadow said. "He won't," Blaze said confidently. "Then I'll go to my other source." Shadow replied. "Guess I got to tell Violet not to look for it, Night has it locked behind many walls, or so he said, and mine is more secure than any would know." Blaze said, making note of it in his mind.

"How embarrassing could it be? I mean I wouldn't mind, to me the darker the shared secret the better, or 'tastier' as some would say, not literally of course." Shadow said. "Drop it," Blaze told him. "You know me, I don't stop till I get an answer." Shadow told him. Black flames danced along Blaze's coat, "I said, drop it." "You don't scare me, the only thing that scares me is myself." Shadow said. "What are you-" blaze stopped himself when he saw the flames and started to pat them out, "sorry about that." "You're fine, but still, I'm not dropping it till I get an answer." Shadow grinned, unless you'd want us to be alone when you tell me, I can keep a secret." Shadow smirked a devilish grin.

"No, we promised to never speak of it again," Blaze said. "I asked for how you met, not what happened between then and now." Shadow said. "I know, I'm not telling how we met, so drop it," Blaze said. "I'm going to find out one way or another, I alway find an answer." Shadow said. "Not this time," Blaze said, vanishing. "Alright, you can't hide it forever, the truth is always revealed one way or another!" Shadow said. "I guess I annoyed him too much, oh well, we can go later I guess, though I really wanted to talk to her. I should've kept my mouth shut." Shadow said, he and Dusk just decided it best to head back to the den, and so they did. "What are you doing back so soon?" Lilly asked.

"Well Blaze just up and abandoned us without any explanation whatsoever so we decided to come back." Shadow replied. "What did you do?" Lilly asked him. "Nothing much, I just tried pressuring him into giving me an answer to a question of mine." Shadow told her. "There is your explanation," Lilly said, "now what was the question?" "I just simply asked him how he and Night met." Shadow said. "And he obviously didn't want to tell you, or anyone for that matter, I asked him the same thing earlier," Lilly said. "He's gotta spill someday, mainly because I don't entirely trust him because I don't know much about him. And if it's a secret that big then it is most likely something very bad he's done." Shadow said.

"Probably, probably not, if he doesn't want to share, then it is not for us to know," lilly said, going to the kitchen-like area. "So much for going to see ma." Shadow said, a little down then went to his room, and lied down. Violet watched him leave, "goodnight? I don't know, he pushes things too far. What about you, dusk anything you would like to share, or no?" "Apparently Shadow annoyed that Blaze guy a bit, trying to get him to say how he and Night met, but he wouldn't say, so Shadow just kept pressuring him. now Shadow's a little upset that he didn't get to talk to Aurora." Dusk said. "That is Shadow for ya, but what made you come to us?" Violet asked him.

"I was sent to protect the young shadow, and to make sure he doesn't lose control." Dusk answered. "Who sent you? I doubt that you knew of him on your own." Violet asked. "That is classified information." Dusk told her. "Okay, so, where did you come from? I mean your hometown," Violet asked him. "I come from the citadel." Dusk answered. "I don't meant to be a bother if I am, I'm just curious of new 'mon," Violet said, a slight tint coming to her cheeks. "I understand, you're fine." Dusk said. "Thank Arceus, the last thing I want is to be a bother to anyone, that and Shadow is my uncle, so naturally I want to protect him," Violet said.

"Yeah, family protects family, even at the cost of their own life, that's one of the best things I find in families." Dusk said. "Another question, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but do you have any family that you recognise as such?" Violet asked. "No, I am an only child and my parents were killed by salandit, and I have never had a mate." Dusk answered. Violet put her forelegs out in question: 'do you want a hug?' but didn't say anything. "A hug always helps." Dusk said as he hugged her. Violet hugged back, "they do, don't they?" she asked rhetorically. "Mhm" He replied. After a couple minutes he released her. Violet let him go as well, that was nice... she thought to herself, blushing a small bit.

"You feeling alright?" Dusk asked. "Y-yeah," Violet said. "Your face is a little red." Dusk mentioned. "Is it? I didn't notice," she said, what is this feeling? "Huh, either you're very happy. or feeling love towards someone." Dusk said. Is that what it is? Violet thought, "yeah, I guess so." She replied. "Anyways, anything else?" Dusk asked. "Not really, unless you want to play a game, we have quite a few." Violet said. "I'm good, I should really keep watch for any dangers." Dusk said as he went to stand just outside the exit. "Suit yourself," Violet said, setting up tiles for a game of solitaire. Dusk sat outside, Shadow lied in his room regretting his actions, waiting for Blaze to come back.

A shiny vaporeon approached the den and nodded to Dusk then entered the den. "Hi grandma Aurora," Violet said, seeing her come in, "did blaze send you here?" "Yeah, said something along the lines of 'shadow wanted to talk to you' and about dusk too, but I would rather not repeat what he said about him," Aurora said, sitting next to Violet. "Shadow is in his room, your room is vacant, but I try to keep it clean while you aren't here, and you walked by Dusk," Violet told her. "Thank you," Aurora said, getting up and heading to Shadow's room, "Shadow, hon, may I come in?" "Of course, ma!" Shadow said, jumping up. Aurora entered the room and sat down, "what happened?"

"Well as you know, Night is asleep and may never wake up." Shadow said. "I did not know that," Aurora said, fighting to keep her voice level, "what caused him to go into, whatever he is in?" Shadow explained what happened. "Oh... why is Yveltal out? That isn't a question for you, just thinking," Aurora said, "and how did Xerneas know where to find him?" "I don't know, I guess she senses an imbalance or something." Shadow said. "Maybe, but I don't remember hearing anything about that," Aurora said, thinking of possibilities. "I don't know, I would also like it if you moved back in, partially for moral support." Shadow said.

"I'm going to have to find someone to buy the house, if so," Aurora said. "You don't have to if you don't want to. It's just..." Shadow said. "I will if you want me back," Aurora said. "I do want you back, but I want you to choose which one you want." Shadow said. "I do want to come back, I liked it out here anyway, i just have to find someone to take the house," Aurora said. "Okay." Shadow said, smiling. "It may be anywhere from a week to a month before I move back in, okay?" Aurora asked. "Okay." Shadow said. "Now, I should get going so I can start packing things up there," Aurora said, getting up and hugging her son. Shadow hugged back, tightly and then let go, "Okay." Shadow said.

"You do that, by the way Dusk wanted to talk to you." Shadow said. "So I hear, I don't know why Blaze hates the guy though," Aurora said, leaving the room, "Violet, I thank you for caring for my room, you won't have to for much longer." "you're welcome," Violet said, beaming and watching her leave. "So you wanted to speak to me?" Aurora asked Dusk when she had left the den. "Yeah, I just wanted to say that I am only here to help and protect so you needn't worry about the others as much." Dusk said. "I know, but i still worry for them, they are my family after all," Aurora spoke. "Yeah as I told Violet, that's the amazing thing about families, always looking out for each other." Dusk said.

"I hear a hint of sadness in that voice of yours, but I won't bother you about it." Aurora said. "You wouldn't bother me at all." Dusk said, smiling warmly. "Still," Aurora said, going back to the city, a spring in her step. Pretty. Dusk thought to himself, smiling a little. He shook his thoughts out of his head and tried to remain vigilant.

Four days later...

"Guys, come here, quick!" Violet called out. Shadow, Lilly, and Dusk went to Night's room. "What is it?" Shadow asked. "oh, hey guys," Night said, dousily. "YOU'RE AWAKE!!!" Shadow practically screamed and hugged him tightly, very tightly, almost too tight. "Ow," Night strained. "Sorry..." Shadow said quietly, letting go. "And that's not all I'm sorry for, I'm also sorry for calling you a traitor and for over reacting like I did." Shadow said. Night looked at him confused, "can I wake up first?" "Yeah, take your time." Shadow said, still speaking in an apologetic tone. Night got up and went to the kitchen area, started a fire and set a pot of water over it, then sat and waited.

Shadow went and sat in the main area, having a question to ask Night. And also wanting to apologize again, just to be sure his apology got across. When the water started to boil, he poured some in a cup with a tea bag and went into the main area after putting the fire out. "Hey Brother, again, sorry for saying the things I did and over reacting like that." Shadow said. "You're fine, but I have reasons for doing the things I do, if you ever want to know, just ask, okay?" Night asked. "Speaking of, I'm willing to give humans a second chance, so I want to meet Alita." Shadow said. "Violet, I'm assuming?" Night asked.

Shadow remembered that Violet didn't want Night knowing she looks at his memories. "No." Shadow said. "It can't be Gem, I've blocked them from her." Night said, knowing that Shadow was lying. "No, no one convinced me into it." Shadow said. "I don't care about that, I'm wondering who told you about Alita." Night said. "Uh you did when we were arguing." Shadow told him. "Oh yeah, sorry, but you should know that I know that Violet likes to watch that side of me, so you don't have to protect her on that," Night said. "Oh." Shadow said, "by the way, what is it like inside a pokeball?" "I am told that it is different for each one, but the luxury ball I go into when needed is lovely," Night said.

"What does it look like inside the luxury ball?" Shadow asked. "Like i said, it is different for each mon, but for me, it is in her lap with Terra, both of them," Night said. "Oh when you said it was different for each one I thought you meant pokeball." Shadow said. "Each ball does different things, but each mon, it is also different," Night said. "I wonder what it'd be like for me, anyways, enough about that, I would like to meet Alita." Shadow said. "Still working out the kinks of the transporter, it will be awhile, that day that you came into my office, i was working on one of the kinks, the device wasn't replacing the atoms correctly," Night said.

"So you just need a way to keep the atoms in stasis as they all move as a group instantly from one place to another?" Shadow asked. "I... huh, come on," Night said, getting up and leaving the den, forgetting his tea. Shadow followed behind. "You do remember where the arena is?" Night asked. "Yeah." Shadow said. "Let's go." Night said, running to the arena. Shadow followed behind easily. Night stopped in front of the arena and unlocked the door, "come on." Shadow nodded and followed. Night clicked a button behind the front desk and hit a 32 combination on the keyboard. A door behind the desk opened, Night stepped in the small room beyond, "you coming?" Night asked.

"Yeah." Shadow answered, following him.the doors shut and the room began to lower into the depths, waves of light going up along the walls. "I regret making it so far down," Night said. "It's fine." Shadow said. Three minutes later, the doors opened into a lab. "Come on, can't believe I didn't think of that," Night said. "Think of what?" Shadow asked. "Moving the atoms, I was having them rebuild the thing that went through them. I think that it will work better the way you said," Night said. "Ah, yeah." Shadow said. "Valhalla, been awhile," Night said, as the lab powered up. "Yes, welcome back, Mr Astral," a robotic voice said.

"You don't have to call me that, Valhalla, by the way, how is Ada?" Night asked. "She is fine, though the external lab is losing power and will be depleted in three months," the voice changed halfway through to one of a pokemon as a hologram of a flareon and vaporeon hybrid. "Well maybe we could extend a power transmitter deep into the earth's crust and have it be powered from thermal activity." Shadow said, "yeah I have a small sentimental attachment to it." "We could, but that doesn't provide enough for the facility to be active." Valhalla said. "Why? Is the nuclear reactor failing?" Shadow asked.

"No, the fuel rods are used, and we don't have any fuel rods for it." Valhalla said. "Couldn't we have some electric types help charge up the generators, and also use wind and solar power?" Shadow asked. "When we get the transporter working correctly, we can send power cells over there, unless you want me to relocate Ada over here and let that facility go dormant?" Night asked Shadow. "No, as I said, I have a sentimental attachment to the lab." Shadow answered. "That's right, your father..." Night said, going over to a big device on the wall and clicking a button on it then going to a desk located near it and beginning to type at a fast pace.

Shadow just stood there, afraid to touch anything. "So, you are Shadow?" Valhalla asked Shadow, looking at him. "Yeah? How do you know my name?" Shadow asked. "That would be your brother's doing, he talks of you a lot." Valhalla said. "Ah." Shadow said. "He speaks well of you, Mr. Shirogami." Valhalla said. "No need to call me by my surname, I have no upper status of importance." Shadow said. "Okay, Shadow," Valhalla said. Shadow continued to stand there. Valhalla saw this and said "you don't have to just sit there, you know, all the work here is saved, and any that we can't replace are locked up."

"Just don't want to end up hitting the wrong button or something." "All the things, except the transporter, can't harm anything," Valhalla said. "Best to be safe than sorry." Shadow replied. "There are game consoles down here if you want to play them," Valhalla said, trying to find things so that Shadow isn't bored. "Don't usually play video games, ever." Shadow answered. "Okay..." Valhalla said, "there is a training gym too, but you know that, you have seen the floors above." "Only one or two rooms, I could give you my backstory if you're interested." Shadow said. "If you want to," Valhalla said. Shadow then did so.

By the time he had finished, Night was also done and listening. "Okay, nice to finally understand you a little," Night said, "now, I have reprogramed the transporters and they are ready for testing, Valhalla, if you will." An apple emerged from the floor and it was thrown into the central ring of the transporter and it appeared from the other one on the other side of the room. "Well it works." Shadow said. "The outside may be fine, the outside has been coming out fine for the past month, but it is the inside that i'm worried about," Night said, going to pick up the apple and pulling out a knife. "Ready?" Valhalla asked no one in particular.

"Yeah, let's see the inside." Shadow said. Night breathed deeply and sliced it... and it was fine, "well, it worked, now to test the small one," Night said, pulling out a small device with a switch, a dial, and a button. He turned it on, set the dial to 2 and hit the button, then he flashed out of existence. "Did it work?" Shadow asked. "I don't-" Valhalla was cut off by a ringtone. The screen on the side of the elevator turned on as Valhalla accepted the call, standing there with the small device in his paw was Night. "It worked," Night laughed out. "Where are you?" Shadow asked. "The External base, I'm here with Ada and your father's memory.

Valhalla, send two fully charged IPCs through channel 2, we are going to reactivate this place." Night said, when he finished, two towers appeared on screen behind him, "package received, they are still functional." "Nice!" Shadow said, his tail wagging in excitement. "Alright, shadow, you can go through the big one, just make sure you set it to line two, got it?" Night asked. "Yeah." Shadow said and did as instructed then stepped through the teleporter. "Hey," Night said, welcoming him from the transporter. "Hi." Shadow responded. "I'm going to put these cells in," Night said, grabbing the two power towers and running off. Shadow followed.

They reached the power room and Night set the towers down, then opened two tubes and replaced the dead ones with the full ones. "Back online," the facility said. "Good." Shadow said. "Now, I want to meet that Alita you mentioned before." "Yeah, okay, just let me set one up for her," Night said, leaving the facility, "bye Ada." Shadow followed. Night pulled the disk out and slipped the two halves apart and tossed one up, then it vanished with a bang. "Hang on," Night said. "Okay?" Shadow said questioningly. "Do you want to meet her?" Night asked. "Yes." Shadow answered. "Then hang onto this." Night said, showing the semi-disk to Shadow. Shadow grabbed it.

Then the world around them switched to a beach. "ALITA," Night called, jumping into her arms. "Hey Night, how are you buddy?" Alita asked, hugging him. Shadow just tilted his head in curiosity, sniffing the air. "I'm good, you?" Night said, pawing at her necklace. Cute. Shadow thought. "That's good, by the way, thanks for this thing, Night," Alita said, pointing to the earpiece she had on. Shadow remained where he was, just watching the two. "Come on, let's go home, oh, hi there little guy, i didn't see you there," Alita said, seeing Shadow. Shadow tilted his head, curious yet cautious he took a step closer, sniffing the air a little more.

Alita pulls out a pokebean and offers it to Shadow, "here." Shadow went over to her and sniffed it then took it a little reluctantly. Alita began to walk up the slope to the road back home. Shadow followed, mainly to follow where Night was going. Alita saw this and smiled and told Night "either they are following you or the beans." "Well, Shadow is my brother, and he probably likes the beans," Night replied. "Oh, okay," Alita said. "Wait, she can understand you?" Shadow asked Night, confused. "Yeah, the earpiece is a translator," Night explained. "Yes, and I'm very thankful for it, I can finally understand my family at home," Alita said.

"Ah, I was a bit skeptical of you at first because I don't trust humans as much as most mon would. But I figured I'd meet you, give them another chance." Shadow explained. "That's nice, you won't regret it," Alita said, opening the door, "guys, guess who's back!" a jolteon, arbok, haunter, espeon and an incineroar came from one of the adjacent rooms calling out "Night!" Shadow, not being used to meeting so many new people at a time, hid behind Alita. "Terra, Mork, Ethan, Violet, Firestar, Where is John?" Night asked, naming them one by one. "Oh, he's acting like the tv," the Inciniroar said. "Oh, guys, meet Shadow, my brother," Night said.

They look around, trying to find him. "Dammit Night." He whispered almost silently. Alita set Night down, "I'm going to make dinner, what do you guys want?" Everyone but Shadow just shrugs and goes back to the tv while Night jumps up on the bar to watch her cook. Shadow just hung back and lied down by the exit door, not feeling that it was okay for him to fully enter the house, he didn't feel he was a part of this 'family' after all. "Hi there," a sylveon said behind Shadow. Shadow jumped up and spun around. "The hell? who are you?" He asked. "Who's asking, and please move, you are blocking the door," the Sylveon said.

"Actually I am beside the door, not in front of it, and I asked your name first." Shadow said, moving even further from the door. The sylveon steps in and closes the door, "thanks, by the way, name is George, are you a new one?" "Not exactly, I am still a wild mon." Shadow said. "Then what are you doing in here? Don't you know that a human lives here?" George asked. "Yes I do, I don't live here, I am here because I wanted to meet my brother's trainer." Shadow said. "Which one is your brother? John, Mork, Ethan, or Firestar?" George asked. "Night is." Shadow said, "Which he just went to the kitchen with Alita."

"Oh, I have yet to meet the fabled guy, I hear he took on Ultra Necrozma by himself," George said. "I've heard of Lunala and Solgaleo, but who the hell is Necrozma?" Shadow asked. "You have never heard of The Eater of Light?" George asked, "if not, then you aren't from around here." "Yeah, I'm from Kalos." Shadow said. "Did you travel via Ultra wormhole?" George asked. "No, that doesn't even exist in Kalos." Shadow said. "Oh, well, however you got here, enjoy your stay," George said, winking at him and going to sit on the couch. ShShadow just curled up and lied down where he was and closed his eyes.

The jolteon from earlier came out and looked again for Shadow, she saw him and went over to him, "hi." She said. "Hello." Shadow said, raising his head and opening his eyes. "You're Shadow, right?" the jolteon asked. "Yes, and you are?" Shadow asked. "I'm Terra, nice to meet you," the jolteon, Terra, said. "Nice to make your acquaintance." Shadow said. "So, your Night's brother, what's it like?" Terra asked. "Well I envy him, his experience with humans was great, and mine made me want to kill them, but after hearing about Alita I decided to give them a second chance." Shadow said. "Bet Night is thankful for that, he loves Alita more than we do, even more than her original, Firestar," Terra said.

"I can tell." Shadow said, envy could be heard in his voice. "Yeah, everyone here has a weird background, some more weird than others," Terra said, laughing at the end. "Mine isn't weird so much as it is horrible, I'll tell you if you want." Shadow said. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but I'm all ears if you do," terra said, laying down next to Shadow. Shadow proceeded to tell her what happened to him at the lab, and what happened with his father. "That's terrible, do you want a hug?" Terra asked, listening to the entire thing. "They were trying to create a pokemon that could one shot anything and that would be invincible" Shadow said.

"And if you feel it'll help, you may give me a hug if you wish to." He finished. Terra, immediately after hearing this, hugged him, "it was a doomed mission from the start," she said. After she said that Shadow told her what he read on his file that he found, hugging back. "There is no way to be both, one can get close, but they are never both," She responded, "you were the closest, so they tried to keep you." "and killed the thousands of mon they had there when I escaped, I felt like such a coward after I heard about that." Shadow said. "Did any others escape?" Terra asked, still hugging him. "Other than this Espeon who had a crush on me till I told her I was taken.

No, no one other than that escaped, they put the facility on full lock down when I did escape." "Oh, do you ever wonder how she dealt with it? The guilt, I mean," Terra asked. "No, she didn't show any signs of guilt, but only remorse and grief." Shadow said. "Okay, I was not expecting that. I know what it's like to be one of the couple of survivors out of millions..." Terra said, a sad tone at the last bit. "Be careful, your spikes are starting to stiffen." Shadow said. "Oh sorry," Terra said, making her fur lay back down. Shadow hugged her a little tighter, "I guess we've both been dealt the short straw." Shadow said. "I guess so, but it's nothing like Firestar's back story, he was forced to kill his entire family to survive.

He still suffers the guilt of it," Terra said. "Then why didn't he let himself die so his family would survive?" Shadow asked. "He wouldn't say, I'm guessing that a mafia would have killed them and him if he didn't," Terra said. "Why is this world so f*cked up?" Shadow asked no one in particular. "I'm afraid there is no explanation that I can think of for that," Terra said. "Anyways, what about you, what's your story?" Shadow asked. "Well, mostly the same as yours, except instead of the place, well, doing whatever it did, there was a reactor meltdown, my sister didn't make it." Terra told him. "Gem's sister also died." Shadow said. "Who?" Terra asked, curious.

"The espeon I mentioned." Shadow answered. "Oh, okay" Terra said, "I don't know the others that escaped that island before it blew, but I saw others escape, so..." "Yeah. Is that all?" Shadow asked, releasing her and out of conversation. Terra let go as well, "it is, unless you want to talk about something else?" "out of things to talk about." Shadow said. "Okay," Terra said, falling asleep. Shadow let this happen. Sylvia don't get jealous we are not into each other even the slightest. Shadow thought and lied his head back down. Terra sighed, asleep. Shadow simply closed his eyes.

30 minutes later

"Guys, dinner's ready!" Alita called from the kitchen. Shadow continued to lie where he was. Figuring he wasn't exactly part of this 'family' so he wasn't going to join them. "You coming?" Terra asked, wide awake. "No, go ahead, go eat." Shadow said. "You not hungry?" She asked, voice full of worry. "No I am, just not exactly part of this 'family' I believe she called it." Shadow said. "Don't be so hard on yourself, you are too part of the family, come on, it's pasta," Terra said, grabbing Shadow's paw. Shadow pulled away. "No, I'm not." Shadow said. "Night would say otherwise," She said. "Bet your trainer wouldn't." Shadow replied, not moving.

"She would say the same," Terra said, "after all, you're Night's brother, how would you not be part of the family?" "Because I'm wild, none of you are wild." Shadow told her. "Alita doesn't care if you are wild or not, hell, George is wild, but he's still part of the family," Terra pointed out. "He doesn't seem wild." Shadow said. "No, he doesn't, but he is," Terra said, sitting down, "I will not move from this spot until you go eat." "Just go on without me, I'll be fine. and besides, I wouldn't want you to miss out because of me." Shadow said. "No, I'm not moving," Terra said, being stubborn. "Then I guess you'll miss out too." Shadow said. "It doesn't bother me either way," Terra said.

"You two going to come eat?" Alita asked, head poking around the corner. Shadow shook his head but nudged Terra. "No, thank you though," Terra said, staying still. "Okay, if you're hungry later, don't blame me," alita said, going back to the kitchen. "Go on, what's so bad about leaving me out, hm?" Shadow asked. "The fact that I don't leave anyone behind, no matter what. The others call it a fatal flaw, I don't listen to it," Terra explained. "Then I guess you'll starve while I'm here then. And I'm smart so you wouldn't be able to even trick me into it." Shadow said. "Okay then," Terra said, still not moving.

"It's your funeral." Shadow shrugged then lied his head back down and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, then," Terra said, then kissed him on the nose and fell asleep herself. Shadow went to sleep, being starved, to say he slept rough would be an understatement.

The next morning.

Shadow awoke with a start. "Hm?" Terra slowly woke. "Huh, feeling a little weaker than usual, with how rare it is for me to have nightmares I Guess that one got to me." Shadow whispered to himself. "What?" Terra asked, not hearing what he said. "Just talking to myself." Shadow said, laying back down. "Okay then," Terra said, putting her head back on her paws. There was a click from across the room, "keeping that one," Alita said. Terra looked at Alita with narrowed eyes. "What? You two look cute together like that," Alita said innocently. Terra blushed at that, "I want to see it when it gets printed." "Even if it is cute to you, it probably isn't going to happen again." Shadow said.

"Aww, why not?" Alita asked. "Because the chances it does happen again are rare." Shadow said. "What makes you say that?" Terra asked him. "Well it's not like we're family or something like that." Shadow said. "Night did set up the teleporter, so that may change things," Alita said. "Teleporter?" Terra asked, confused. "Not really, I'm wild, none of these other mon are." Shadow said. "Tell me something, do you think Night is, as you say, 'wild'?" Alita asked. "No, because he's been in a pokeball before and has a trainer." Shadow answered. "But here is the thing, he is, I released him years ago, so, by your definition, he is 'wild' but that's not what I'm getting at.

He wants to return, that is the difference between a family and a party, a family will return, a party won't, if let free. It isn't the blood relation that makes a family, it is the memories that bond them," Alita explained. "Not like me and Night share many good memories." Shadow said, getting up and leaving the building. "He doesn't know Night as he claims," Alita told Terra. "So I can see," Terra said, going after Shadow. Shadow ran over to a nearby pond and sniffed the air huh, gonna rain soon, might as well stay out for that, a lot of times it feels nice. Shadow thought to himself, staring at his reflection in the pond water.

Terra climbed the closest tree and watched, upset that she couldn't think of how to help him. "I keep causing all sorts of things to go wrong one way or another, I keep asking myself, what did you even save me for? When it's all so damn pointless." he said, clawing his reflection at that last bit. "Why, for what reason did you save me? What purpose could I have if all I cause is suffering? When I annoy everyone I talk to to the point where they just... break." He lied down at this as it started raining, he looked up to the sky. "I can't even get my emotions straight..." "he did it for a multitude of reasons, one being that he wanted you to live, so, for his sake, live it to the fullest," Terra said, dropping from the tree.

"What's the point in living a life where death is constantly turned against you, one where you cause so much suffering even indirectly?" Shadow asked. Terra slapped him, "you are an idiot for even thinking that, yeah, shit happens, get over it, there is no good without the bad, vice versa can also be said, if you want to take it as everything against you, just remember, mon are there for you, to help you, all you have to do is ask. I apologize for hitting you, that was not right of me to do," Terra said. "Night has almost died... multiple times for my sake, night almost went insane once because of me, I keep causing him so much grief I'm surprised he still considers me family." Shadow said.

"I'm sorry if I missed something, but are you a god?" Terra asked. "No, of course not." Shadow said. "Okay, thought so, but you are making it sound like you can control the world and all of its inhabitants, but you can't, you can't decide that you are done with something and make it cease to exist, that's not how it works, things beyond your control happen and all you can do is rise to meet it or let it take you, but you don't have to do it alone. Night does what he does because he cares for you, cares about you. Now, get a hold of yourself and stop being a 'pity me' 'mon, got it?" Terra asked. "Yeah, thank you, if I wasn't mated I'd kiss you as thanks for helping." Shadow chuckled.

"What are friends for? And aww, your mate chose well with you," Terra said, "now, how about we head home and get some food?" "Yeah, I just realized I haven't eaten in a week, well except for a pokebean yesterday." Shadow said, his stomach growling a bit. "Those pokebeans are an alolan specialty, so I hear, and yeah, you need food," Terra said, getting up. "First we need to get dry, also you haven't lived till you've had a pokepuff." Shadow said. "I hear they are amazing, and I can get us dry quickly, we just need to get out of the rain, but there isn't a rush on that, right?" Terra asked. "Nope, also, I might ask Alita to catch me, only because I am curious as to what it is like in a pokeball." Shadow said.

"Okay, they aren't as bad as some claim, they are quite comforting, honestly," Terra said, beginning to walk home. Shadow followed beside her, "wanna race?" He asked. "Oh you are on," Terra said, taking off running. Shadow caught up quickly, then just went at the same speed as her to kind of tease her. "Is that as fast as you can go?" Shadow taunted. "You have seen nothing yet," Terra said as sparks danced along her pelt then a ring of lightning exploded from her and she streaked out of sight. Shadow then rran at the speed of sound, breaking the sound barrier as he quickly got to the house. When he got there, Terra was tapping her paw on the porch, "I win," she said, smiling, "wan'a dry off?"

"yeah." Shadow said. Terra stretched her paw out. Shadow gladly took it in his own. As soon as he touched it, a current ran through him, making his fur stand on end, effectively flinging off all the water droplets. Terra fell over laughing. "What's so-" Shadow cut himself off as he looked back and saw his fur and started laughing so damn hard as well. "Yo- ha- you could ha almost pass as Night, minus the scruff," Terra said, getting herself under control. "If Night was fat." Shadow chuckled, panting. "You are not fat, you are fluffy, there is a difference," Terra said, stepping inside after she got her fur under control. Shadow groomed his fur down then went inside.

Terra was waiting to lead him to the kitchen where the leftovers from last night were being warmed up. "There isn't any meat in the sauce, is there?" Shadow asked. "Not unless you count a little grease from meat for the flavor," Terra said, pulling out two bowls from the microwave and setting them on the small table, "careful, it's hot," she said, grabbing two forks and handing one to Shadow. "I know Umbreon is supposed to be a predator but I hate to eat meat, I won't eat it unless I'm about to starve to death, I don't know why I hate meat so much, I just do." Shadow said. "The iron in the blood, I don't like it either, the flavor of cooked meat is good, I just can't do the iron in the blood," Terra said, taking a bite of pasta.

"Oh it has nothing to do with taste. I like the taste, I just hate eating it." Shadow said. "Oh, okay," Terra said, taking another bite. They ate their food. "What do you want to do?" Tarra asked, putting the dishes in the sink to wash later. "Dunno." Shadow said. "I have a suggestion, but i don't know what you will say about it, especially with your, you know," Terra pointed to his head, "anthropomorphic." "Why what is it?" Shadow asked. "You know what, it was stupid to even suggest it, just forget I said anything on the matter," Terra said, going upstairs. Shadow followed. "Please, I want to know what it was." Shadow said. "No, please, leave me alone, I need time alone..." Terra said, laying on the bed.

"Okay." Shadow said, going to the living room and went to find Alita. "Oh, hey Shadow, what's up with you, you look worried," Alita said, being found on the couch with Firestar on her lap, Firestar being asleep. Shadow shook his head, "Just confused." He said and lied next to her on the couch. "I was wanting to know what it's like inside a pokeball, so could you catch me, even if only so I can see what it's like?" Shadow asked. "Uh... odd request, but sure," Alita said, pulling out a pokeball and setting it down, turning it so that it showed the button to him. He pushed the button gently. The world around him blackened and he was launched into the den as it was sixteen years ago.

Where he was sitting with his father and mother, eating a berry. He could almost cry, knowing it wasn't real it's been something he's dreamed of since the day he lost his father. "Are you okay?" Shadow's mother asked him, noticing the facial change, however slight it was. "I'm fine." Shadow said. "You sure? You look like you're about to cry." His father replied. I don't ever want to leave this place! Shadow thought. "No, I'm good, just happy to have you here, and to be here." Shadow smiled. "And we're proud of you." His father said, hugging him. "We are, dear," Aurora said, hugging them both. Shadow hugged back.

"I love you both." Shadow said, smiling and closing his eyes. "We love you too, Shadow," Aurora said. If this is in the past then. "How's my baby sister?" Shadow asked, releasing the two. "She's still asleep," Aurora said, the world fading away. Shadow found himself on the living room floor in Alita's place. Shado was smiling a lot, crying a little at the same time. "Shadow? You okay?" Alita asked, getting off the couch. "More than okay." He said. "I just... I..." Shadow told her what happened to him when he was young. "Oh, do you want a hug? It's fine if you say no," Alita said. Shadow jumped into her arms. "It was family, wasn't it?" Alita asked, hugging Shadow. "Yeah." He said.

"I know how that is, here, this is the one you are registered to," Alita said, handing him a pokeball. "Okay." Shadow said. "And don't. 'release' me, I'll be coming back to be put in there every now and then." Shadow said. "There is a reason I'm giving it to you, think about it," Alita said "I don't want to be in there forever, so the reason I say what I did is because who'd be able to let me out of the pokeball without a trainer around?" Shadow asked. "Anyone can, hell, you can get out of it, or so I hear. But I strongly recommend to have Night around while you are in it, just in case," Alita said, "the reason I recommend Night is because he knows how to use them."

"Okay. Thank you." Shadow said. "Anything I can do for family, I will do," Alita responded. "You really consider me family?" Shadow asked. "Yeah, of course, what else would I consider you?" Alita asked. "Just another 'mon." Shadow said simply. "Impossible," Alita said. "What do you mean?" Shadow asked. "Night wouldn't care about you if you were 'just another 'mon'" Alita said. "Well I took him in as an adopted brother after hearing about his real brother dying." Shadow said. "He said something about that, but I never got the full story from him, he kept getting choked up about it," Alita said. Shadow told her what he knows of what happened.

"It was sad for both of us. I wish I had gotten there sooner, much sooner, but I had no control over when I got there." Shadow said. "Time has a funny way of doing things, for better or worse, it is what you make of it," Alita said. "Yeah." Shadow said, curling up on the couch. Alita touched Shadow then pulled away, "may I?" She asked him. "Go ahead." Shadow said. Alita began to scratch behind Shadow's ears. Shadow began to purr. What is this sound I'm making? And why am I making it? He asked himself. "Feel good?" Alita asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Yeah..." He said in a relaxed tone. Alita hummed and used both of her hands to rub Shadow's ears.

He purred even more, feeling relaxed, loving this. Alita smiled and kissed the top of his head. "Hmmm." He hummed, relaxed. "You really are loving this, aren't you?" Alita asked him. "Yeah." He said in a relaxed tone, "Only ever dealt with monsters wearing human skin so to speak." He continued, "this is a nice change of pace." "I'll bet," Alita said. He drifted off to sleep, his instincts for comfort caused him to lean into her. "For such a troubled guy, he is certainly cute, huh Terra?" Alita said. Terra jumped, not realizing that Alita knew she was there, she came off the first step up the stairs and sat on the other side of Alita from Shadow, "yeah, too bad he already has a mate..." Terra said, a little down.

He stirred a little and mumbled something, remaining asleep, he could sense Sylvia getting envious of Terra. "Don't worry Sylvia, I won't ask for your mate, no matter how much I want him." Terra said to no one seen, "I'm not that kind of woman." "Except I can feel him getting emotionally confused with who/what he wants." Sylvia said, appearing. "Really? Jeez, from what Night said, I thought you and Shadow were close," Terra said. "Problem is I've abandoned him twice and seeing as I don't know how to help him at all, it feels like, to both of us, that I've abandoned him and still haven't come back." Sylvia said. "Girl, what he needs is a shoulder to cry on and someone to listen to him, you can learn a lot from listening to 'mon.

Give it a try, things will turn around for the both of you, he will have a lot more self confidence, and you will be able to connect to your mate," Terra said. "Problem is I can't really touch him, hold him, or even properly comfort him without dragging him into the dreamscape which apparently drains him of vital sleep seeing as he's out of actual dreams." Sylvia replied. "He's an umbreon, he should have shadow forging, he can make you a physical body, he should be able to," Terra said. "He is part shadow... but he only learned that recently and his father died as you know so he can't exactly teach him and last I checked Night isn't part shadow." Sylvia said.

Terra sat there, a blank look in her eyes as she thought. "Unless... I got it! His mother has to know how! There is no way she doesn't!" Sylvia exclaimed. "Unless his mother is a shadow, there is no way she could know," Terra countered. "Yes but his father was the shadow and his mother is the one that told Shadow that he was part shadow, so his father could've told his mother how so that she could pass down the knowledge to Shadow if something happened to him." Sylvia said. "There is no way for her to be able to use it unless she herself is part shadow," Terra said. Alita didn't know what was happening, so she picked up shadow and laid him in one of the unoccupied bedrooms.

"She could tell him how not necessarily show him." Sylvia replied. "But how would she know he was doing it right?" Terra asked. "Again if his father showed her at some point then she just told Shadow how without showing." Sylvia said. "'You can't teach something you don't use' I forgot who said it, but it has always been true, especially for me," Terra said. "I have an idea, when he was put in a pokeball he was with both his parents maybe I can have him subtly get them to tell him what his father is despite already knowing then asking about Shadow Forgery from there." "how would you know what he saw in the pokeball? Not even mine can tell," Terra said.

"Because I'm his anamorphic, I have access to the entirety of his mind." Sylvia said. "I know perfectly what you are, Sylvia," Terra said, "I want to ask you something, can you tell when other anamorphic are around?" Terra asked. "Other than my sister, which is also named Terra, no." Sylvia said. "Interesting, I guess not all anamorphics are the same... so you really don't feel any, other than your sister?" Terra asked. "Nope." Sylvia answered. "Very underdeveloped, I see,'' a deep voice from behind Sylvia said. Sylvia jumped and spun around "who're you?" She asked. "Sylvia, meet Hades, the Black Hunter, as some call him, those that see him anyway," Terra said, looking at the pure black arcerial form.

"You're... big." Sylvia said. "I get that a lot," Hades said, who morphed into a shiny eevee, all the color appearing on him as well. "You look better the other way, because in this form you just look cute." Hades' face split in six, opening to reveal rows upon rows of teeth. (Anime reference.) "Cute now?" Hades asked. Sylvia just screamed and then froze in terror. "Don't call me cute," he said, face returning to that of a normal eevee. "W-w-what-what's w-w-w-wr-wr-wr-wro-wrong w-wi-with b-b-b-be-bei-being c-c-call-called c-c-cu-cute?" Sylvia said, stuttering horribly. "Do you know how old I am?" Hades asked.

"N-n-no... b-b-but s-s-st-still, i-i-it sh-shoul-shouldn't m-ma-matter d-de-despite a-a-a-age." Sylvia said. "Four millennia." Hades answered, "at least, I tend to lose track of time." Hades said, "it's like being called a child." "Oh, sorry, didn't mean to offend you." Sylvia said. "Just be careful next time," Haades said, returning to the arcerial form, but smaller this time. "Not like anything other than the blood from the blood river that leads to the underworld can kill us." Sylvia said. "No, but I can make you wish you were never made... I've done it to plenty of others, one more heart to my collection won't make a difference," Hades said.

"Trust me, I already wish that, considering the fact that twice I've abandoned Shadow when he needed me most." Sylvia said. "Oh, can make it a living-" Hades was cut off by Terra. "Hades, don't even think about it, I know how to sever the line," Terra said. Hades shut up after that, turning into a pure black magikarp. "I don't care, he's fine, not like he'd be saying anything that wasn't true." Sylvia said, "Shadow deserves someone better." Sylvia said. "But he wants you, he doesn't want any other, well, let me reword that, he doesn't want any other than us, but I doubt he will actually ask me, even if he did, I would have to decline, for you are his mate.

But he chose you for a reason, give him more reasons to stay with you," Terra said, recalling Hades. "He is emotionally confused between me and you, and I've kept abandoning him, you were there for him where I wasn't..." Sylvia sighed. "Then be there for him, he'll appreciate it," Terra told her. "I don't know how though, I don't know how to help him through his problems, his self-doubt." Sylvia said sadly. "Let him know that you are there for him, let him ask for your assistance, he will ask for it a specific way, not out right, but subtly, he will," Terra said. "Thank you for helping, and thank you for not trying to take advantage of the hole in our relationship." Sylvia said.

"The last thing I want for anyone is a broken relationship, that is why I don't have a mate, it's not that none have asked, it's that I'm so focused on others' relationships that I don't look at my own," Terra explained. "I feel bad for you." Sylvia said, "if I weren't mates with Shadow I'd help you two get together." Sylvia said. "No, you keep him, I can see you two need each other," Terra said. "Like I said, if me and him weren't already mates." Sylvia told her. "Still," Terra said, then whispered, "Hades likes you, by the way." "Sure he does." Sylvia said. "He does," Terra responded, offended that she would be called a liar.

"Yeah yeah and I'm arceus." Sylvia said sarcastically. "You can change your form to look like that," Terra said. "I was being sarcastic." Sylvia said. "I could tell, but I was telling you you could do everything he could, maybe not to the degree he can, but the same thing, nonetheless," Terra said. "I know but I like this form." Sylvia said. "I like it for you, it really suits you," Terra said. "Thanks." Sylvia said, still not believing what Terra said about Hades. "It's true, and Shadow probably agrees," Terra said. "Too bad I am unable to show myself as well as this when he's awake, when he's awake I appear kind of transparent." Sylvia said.

"I think I can help you with that..." Terra said, forming a solid crest made out of shadow metal. "How did you do that?" Sylvia asked. Terra tossed the crest to Sylvia, "this will allow you to take a solid form while he's awake, it uses the shadows from the metal to form your body, when you disappear from this world, it follows you, refilling with shadows as long as you are in them, but use it too long in daylight, it will deplete and fall as a solid piece of iron until it is recharged," Terra explained. "That doesn't answer my question, how did you make this?" Sylvia repeated. "Of shadows," Terra said simply. "I asked how, not out of what." Sylvia said, "because I know you ain't part shadow."

"Why do you think that?" Terra asked. "Well if you were you'd have created a physical body for me via shadow forgery which you clearly just used somehow." Sylvia answered. "I could make a body, yes, but because you aren't my anamorphic, you wouldn't be able to use it," Terra explained. "If you could, then why didn't you offer to show Shadow how?" Sylvia asked accusingly. "I didn't know how you would feel about it," Terra said. "Sure, I think you're being as truthful about this as you were about what you said about Hades not 10 minutes ago." Sylvia said. "And I was right then, as I am now, seriously, what reason do I have to lie?" Terra asked her.

"To give me a 'false sense of security' so to speak, the first part shows it, unless I'm using the wrong phrase here which I could be, but still." Sylvia said. "Fine, don't take my help," Terra said, making the emblem melt into the shadows from which it came. "Oh no I believed you about that thing, I just didn't believe you about the body thing. Now that I think about it that thing could've just been an illusion to begin with, considering the way in which it disappeared, or rather faded." Sylvia said. "Make up your mind," Terra said. "What do you mean?" Sylvia asked. "I give up, this isn't going to work" Terra said, melting into the shadows.

Sylvia slapped herself thinking she was dreaming. "You aren't asleep, if you think you are" the cat in the fire said. "How can you be so sure?" Sylvia asked him. "You would be able to tell," The cat said. "Yet this 'mon that has nothing to do with shadows just vanished, unless she was an illusion. "Any detection magic doesn't pick her up, I've tried, I don't know why, so don't ask," The cat said. "So wait, she is a shadow? I thought Shadow's dad was the only one to cross over." Sylvia said. "I don't know, but I can't find out, so..." The cat said. "Okay, well I know she was lying about what she said about Hades, but I should apologize for accusing her of lying about the other bits," Sylvia said.

"Was she lying though? I saw the way Hades acts normally, and the way with you was extremely pulled back," The cat pointed out. "Sure it was, extreme threats are very much pulled back." Sylvia said sarcastically. "That was the most chill I have ever seen the guy, otherwise he would've put you in a never ending nightmare, and I don't mean the Z move, I mean literally, for calling him 'cute,'" the cat said. "He said he would do that if I did again, which makes sense because I had no way of knowing he didn't like being called cute beforehand." Sylvia said, determined that Shadow was the only one that liked her. "I don't think he would," The cat said.

"It'd be wrong for it to be what you said considering that I had no way of knowing he hated being called cute." Sylvia said. "Then let's go ask him," the cat said, shaking ash from his pelt and heading upstairs. Sylvia followed. The cat knocked on a door, "come in," could be heard from the other side, the cat opened the door, "may I speak to Hades?" the cat asked. Then looking behind himself to find Hades. "Thank you, Terra," the cat said, closing the door. The cat looked at Sylvia, "ask away," he said. "So these two are saying you like me and I think they are lying." Sylvia said simply. Hades just stared, not knowing what to do or say, "uh... well," Hades tried, trying not to make eye contact.

"Well what?" She asked. "They aren't wrong," He finally said, disappearing. "Told you" The cat said, going back downstairs. Sylvia stood there frozen, too bad I have a mate that I don't want to leave. She thought. She knocked on the door to talk to Terra and apologize. "Come in" Terra called out, not looking up from her work. Sylvia entered the room. "I'm so sorry for accusing you of lying." Sylvia said, lowering her head in shame. "Like I told you earlier, what reason do I have to lie?" Terra asked. "Clearly none, could you remake that thing you made me, and perhaps teach Shadow how to shadow forge?" Sylvia asked, still feeling ashamed. The emblem dropped into Sylvia's paw.

"Yeah, I can teach him, but only if he agrees to it, and let him make the decision, don't try to influence it," Terra said. "I won't." Sylvia said, putting on the emblem and wearing it. "Well he's waking." She said. "A good time as any to test the emblem," Terra said. Sylvia went to the room she saw Alita bring him to and rubbed his back with one of her ribbons. "Hmm. Huh Sylvia?' Shadow pulled her down. "Been a while." He said, hugging her tightly. "Woah there." She said, nuzzling him. "Missed you." He said. "So Terra is willing to teach you Shadow Forgery if you want it. "Sure." Shadow said. He got up, Sylvia wrapped her ribbon around his front paw. They left the room.

"So where is she?" Shadow asked, still a little groggy. "She's just sitting in her room," Sylvia said, "I'll lead the way." Sylvia led Shadow upstairs then let him knock on the door. "Come on in you two," Terra said. Shadow entered. "So you said you can teach me shadow forgery?" Shadow asked. "I can, yes, and I will, if and only if you take an oath," Terra said, putting her artwork down. "First, whatcha drawing?" Shadow asked. Terra picked it up and put it away in the top of the wardrobe, showing a little armor from within. "Would rather not have you look at it just yet," Terra said. "Okay, anyways what's the oath?" Shadow asked. Terra raised one of her front paws.

"Repeat after me, I, Shadow Shirogami," She said. Shadow did the same and repeated her. "Take this oath to only use Shadow Forging," Terra paused, Shadow repeated and added "for good." "and you messed it up," Terra sighed. "It's always so predictable what's going to come next." Shadow said. "That isn't what's next, shadow, it doesn't do well to assume," Terra said. "Sorry, let's just restart then." He said. "I, Shadow Shirogami, take this oath only to use," Terra paused. Shadow repeated. "Not for harm, but for the betterment of others," Terra finished. Shadow repeated. A warmth flooded over the inhabitants of the room. There was a faint click, but everyone knew that it was there.

"It isn't one I made, the oath, but one that I took," Terra said, looking outside to see it was almost twilight, "we should head out, if you are to learn any today..." "okay." Shadow said. "Things like this can be deadly if not done right, you can make solid things quite easily, however, animated things take something a tad more precious. We won't be working with animated things today, just solid things for now. "Okay." Shadow said.

Sixty minutes later

"Well, the window of opportunity has passed," Terra said, "you have done well today, Shadow." "Okay thanks for your help." Shadow said. "Any time, Shadow, any time," Terra said, heading home. Shadow followed and curled up on the couch. "Goodnight Shadow, sleep well," Terra whispered, not knowing about his sonic hearing. "I will, hopefully." Shadow said. Terra didn't hear him, for Shadow spoke quietly and Terra was already in her room. Shadow just went ahead and went to sleep.

The next morning

When Shadow woke, he felt a presence next to him, when he looked, it was Night. "Ready to go home?" Night asked Shadow. "Yeah." Shadow said drowsily, getting up, "Also Violet tells me you've been wanting to show Alita our home." " She isn't wrong, why do you think I had a two way port set up here?" Night asked. "For her of course!" Shadow said, just let me prepare first okay? It'll take about most of tomorrow." Shadow said. "I'll see you on the other side, in two days, then, make sure to configure it to one, as that is in the den," Night said, going to the back left room. "Wait, configure the one here? Or at the other lab?" Shadow called after Night.

"Switch it to line one, this one, when you are ready to head home, okay?" Night asked, vanishing. Shadow decided he wanted to stay a while longer, so he just sat outside the entrance and stared at the sky, trying to figure some things out. "Hey sweetie, you alright?" Sylvia asked."please hun, I just... I need some time to myself." Shadow said as he got up and went over to the water off the beach and just lied at the surface, stomach up as he looked at the sky and got lost in his thoughts. Terra watched from the porch, ready to help at any moment. Alita left the house and saw Terra, "Hey Terra, I need to go out for a while, will you guys be okay for a while?"

"Of course, see you later," Terra said, hugging Alita bye. Shadow was visibly tearing up. He looked at his paw then returned it to its natural positioning, looking back up to the sky. Terra went over to him, "hey, you okay?" She asked, the fact that she was worried was evident. "I, I'm fine, I just... need time to myself." Shadow said, clearly crying, it could be heard in his voice for he pulled back the tears when he heard her speak up. "Clearly you aren't fine, what is it that's on your mind?" Terra asked. "I said I need time to myself." Shadow said and dove under, not coming back up, he was using water absorb to keep himself from drowning.

Terra knew what he was doing and waited, watching, since she wasn't leaving he swam downstream a little, till he reached a small bridge, he climbed out of the water and sat just near it next to the small river, sunbathing, going back to his thoughts as he began to cry some again. "Hey Shadow," Alita said, passing him on her way to town, "you okay?" "Yeah, just need some alone time." Shadow said. "Okay, if you need someone to talk to, go talk to Terra, she loves to help in any way she can," Alita said, heading off. Shadow lied on his back, staring at the sky. After an hour he got up and went back to where Terra spoke to him to find that she was still there.

He lied down and looking out across the water. "You okay?" Shadow asked, sitting next to her. "Are you, is anyone really okay?" Terra asked. "I'm fine." Shadow said, "What's wrong?" "Nothing, just waiting," Terra said. "For Alita? Also something is wrong, I can tell because of what you just said." Shadow told her. "Just like you said for yourself, I'm fine, really," Terra said. "And my father is still here." Shadow said sarcastically. "I know how it feels to not want others to worry about you, but it only... makes them worry... about you more..." Shadow thought, coming to a realization. "Now you understand?" Terra asked. "Yeah." Shadow said, "still that doesn't change the fact that there's something up with you, so just tell me."

"If anything, I'm a little jealous of you and Sylvia," Terra said. "Well I'm sure you'll find a mate someday." Shadow said, "and honestly you're a great gal so I hope you do, you deserve it." Shadow said. "I don't know," Terra said, forcing her tone to be cheery. Shadow noticed this. "Don't worry, trust me, with a gal as good as you, there is no way you won't find someone." Shadow said, "hell I'd take you if I wasn't with Sylvia, which to be honest I've been emotionally confused with that and also thinking about a few other things." Shadow said. "So I hear," Terra said. "I didn't know it was possible to love two beings at once, I wouldn't believe it to be possible if it hadn't happened to me."

"that's nothing compared to Firestar, try six one day," Terra said, chuckling a little. Shadow laughed. "Imagine what he goes through," Terra said. "Can't when he's usually off by himself." Shadow told her. "True, true," Terra said, "but still, don't try to hide your problems, okay?" "The same goes for you." Shadow said. "The ones I have don't affect anyone but me, and none need to know them," Terra said harshly. Shadow backed up. "Sorry I said anything, I'll just... go." Shadow said backing away then running off. Why was she so harsh about it, did I say something? Did I offend her somehow? Shadow asked himself then cried.

"I ALWAYS SAY THE WRONG DAMN THINGS WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!!!" Shadow screamed at himself then scratched himself across the face, causing the scratch mark to bleed. "Ditto?" a purple blob said. "What?" Shadow asked. "Ditto ditto," It said, then it transformed into a copy of Shadow, " you okay?" "I'm fine." Shadow lied, "sorry do I know you?" "The name is John, do you want to see the form I normally take?" he asked. "Wait John? Weren't you one of the other mon at the house?" "Yeah, I was a T.V." He said. "Oh, anyways, as I said before, I'm fine," Shadow said, walking off. "You never answered my question," John called after him.

"I'm good!" Shadow called back. "Wrong question," John said, going to find Terra. Shadow climbed a tree and stared at the sky, his scratch wound stinging a lot and still bleeding. About thirty minutes later, three more ditto came out of the house and went the direction John did. Shadow continued to lie on top of a tree in the woods. One of the diddo came back as a white umbreon with red rings, "where was the last place you saw Terra?" It asked, worry filling its voice. "By the river." Shadow said, not even looking, "off the beach end I mean." "If she's not there then she probably ran off, because of my idiocy" Shadow said, scratching himself again.

The ditto climbed the tree and stopped him from doing it again, "we need your help, Shadow, please, none of the bullcrap about how you think it's your fault is true, none of it, okay?" it asked. "It is, I apparently said something that upset her, she probably hates me right now, I'm giving her space." Shadow said. "You can look for her on your own." He continued, turning onto his side, turning away from them. "She's there, but she won't speak to any of us, we were hoping you could get her to talk, even a little bit," The ditto said. "I highly doubt it." Shadow said. "As I said, I got her in this state by something I said which I don't know what it was I said, she just needs space."

"Space that I do not exist in." He finished. " you have the best chan- and she's gone, fuck," The ditto said. "Yeah I wouldn't have the best chance at all, y'know being the one that pissed her off..." Shadow said. "You were the last thing we could think of, no one else had any luck, not even Alita could get anything from her, and when that happened, we knew something was up, now we may never get her back because you refused to help, thanks, really appreciate it," The ditto jumped from the tree and walked off. "I would've just made things worse anyways, like always..." Shadow said to himself, "considering that the ditto left, at least I can do this now." He then scratched himself again.

There was a blast nearby as a streak of lightning hit something out in the forest. Curious, Shadow went to check it out. There was something sitting where the lightning struck, evident by the burn marks on the ground, it looked at him then zipped out of existence. "The hell did I just see?" Shadow asked himself. He shrugged it off and went back to that one tree. "Shadow, hon, that thing that you saw, it was the successful combination of two souls, that was Terra and Hades..." Sylvia said in no uncertain terms. "Hades, so he fricken took over her body?! The bastard!" Shadow exclaimed. "You didn't hear what I said.

His soul meshed with Terra's, enhancing the body, I don't know how the fuck I know any of this, but I do," Sylvia said. "Just because their souls are combined doesn't mean the bastard didn't force it to happen." Shadow said, "I knew that guy gave me the creeps, and not in the way he tries to, but in a bad vibe sort of way, now I know why." "Both souls are in control, but at the same time, neither are in control, it's perfect unison, Shadow, that body wasn't made to handle that, it will tear it to shreds if nothing stops it," Sylvia continued. "Dammit!!! THIS IS ALL MY FUCKING FAULT LIKE USUAL!!!!!!" Shadow screamed. "WHY CAN I NEVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT???!!!!!" Shadow screamed at himself.

Sylvia mentally slapped the fuck out of him, "calm yourself, you are most likely the only one who can help them." Sylvia said. "How though?! I was the one that pissed her off in the first place! How the fuck do you expect someone like me to help them, especially me?!" Shadow asked, "Why can't we go get Night to help them? He's clearly more capable than me." "do you know how to use the transporter to get him?" Sylvia asked, "and besides, by the time we get back, it will probably be too late." "He's literally in that one room in the house." Shadow said "he's already back home, Shadow, or did you not catch that?" Sylvia asked, "either way, we need an ultra wormhole."

"I know for a fact that the room he entered is not where the portal is because of a couple things he said to me, anyways, why do we need an ultra wormhole? How do we even make one?" Shadow asked. "It's the only way we can follow her, and we don't, Lunala can." Sylvia said, "How do we contact Lunala? As I said I only saw them in a mere dream some random time, you know, a fricken dream, which dreams are not reality." Shadow said. "Alita," Sylvia said simply. "What about her?" Shadow asked, "she's a human not a pokemon, in other words she's not Lunala." "Alita has saved Lunala from Necrozma, and is eternally grateful, or so I hear," Sylvia said.

"Ah I see." Shadow said, "Then let's go talk to Alita." Shadow said, knowing very well Terra most likely wouldn't want to speak with him or would probably slap him or yell at him or something. They found Alita on the couch, crying. "Hey Alita, I need to contact Lunala." Shadow said. "Wh- what f-for?" Alita asked. "Sylvia said something about ultra wormholes to get Tetra or whatever." Shadow explained. "G- give me a- a sec," Alita said, going to her room. "Time to fix another mess I caused." Shadow said to no one in particular. "This would never have happened if I never came here..."

Firestar heard this from his fire and walked over to shadow and placed a paw on his shoulder, "there is no reason for you to think that, it was a long time coming, it was to happen sooner or later, i had rather it be later, but shit happens, you know?" he said. "But I had to go and piss her off, like I always do, always fucking push everyone away." Shadow said. "What were you two talking about?" Firestar asked, "I don't even know what I said, however..." Shadow gave him the entire situation from when he went to the water off the beach. Firestar sighed, "she despises talking about her problems to others, so I'm not surprised that reaction came out of her.

This isn't the first time she's done that, but disappearing like that, that is new," Firestar said. "Well John acted like her not talking to anyone was new." Shadow said, "He thought I'd be able to 'talk to her'" Shadow said, quoting what he did in disbelief. Footsteps could be heard, Shadow looked to see Alita coming into the living room. Alita noticeably looked better, but she was still on the verge of tears, "you guys ready?" "Yeah, but first..." Shadow said and hugged her. "I'm so very sorry..." Shadow said. "What for?" Alita asked. "Being a burden and causing this, the usual." Shadow said. "Shadow, you didn't do anything wrong, you just were in the wrong place at the wrong time," Alita said.

"But I caused it... caused her to ignore everyone and then disappear..." Shadow said. "No you didn't," Alita said, picking him up. "I did, I pissed her off enough." Shadow said. "She does it to everyone when they ask, she goes somewhere the ditto four can't find her and stays there for an hour to cool herself, she did it to Night, Firestar, the ditto four, Mork, and Ethan, so it was doomed to happen, but for her to disappear like this is odd," Alita said, heading outside and calling a pager. Shadow sighed, "but she vanished, that, from what you said, isn't normal, that's my fault." "I doubt it was your fault, I sincerely doubt it," Alita said, watching the charizard come.

When the charizard landed, Alita climbed on and had Shadow strapped in, "Lunar temple" Alita told the charizard, who promptly took off. "Why am I having an odd sense of Déjà vu?" Shadow asked. "Isn't your other brother a charizard?" Alita asked. "Best Friend yes, brother no, but I don't recall ever riding on his back." Shadow said. "Night told me you did when Night almost fell, i didn't know about that until recently, so..." Alita said. "Fall? He never almost fell, almost went insane because of me, yes." Shadow told her, "However it's not that kind of déjà vu, partially because he didn't have a saddle. I swear I've seen this situation somewhere before, but by myself, maybe in a dream?" Shadow asked himself.

"Hm," Alita said, watching the temple come into view. Shadow closed his eyes and recalled the dream. Definitely was the most beautiful dream I've ever had. He thought. They landed at the foot of the temple, Alita unstrapped Shadow and set him on the ground, "now all we need to do is climb the thousand steps," she said. "That's it?" Shadow asked. He ran at the speed of sound up the steps, for the first time managing to skid to a stop at the top then waited for Alita. "If you had listened, there was a warp pad down there," Alita said from behind him. Shadow turned around. "So this is the Lunar temple huh? It's beautiful." Shadow said.

"Yes it is, Nebby and i traveled to ruins around the alolan region," A lady sitting on a bench said, holding the sun flute. "Don't you mean Cosmog?" Shadow asked, forgetting that humans can't understand him. "Do you want to be called umbreon?" The lady asked. "You can understand me?!" Shadow asked, surprised. "Almost twenty two years of studying, so yes, I can understand you, young one," The lady said. "Shadow, meet Lilly, she took care of Nebby while I was doing my trials, Lilly, this is Shadow, Night's brother," Alita introduced the two. "So you can contact Lunala?" Shadow asked. "Alita, do you still have the moon flute?" Lilly asked.

To which Alita pulled it out, "Then yes, young Shadow, we can." Lilly said. Now I can also confirm whether that dream meant anything, like if we actually met before within my dreams or something, because at this point anything is possible. Shadow thought. Lilly and Alita went to separate little islands and began playing a familiar song, when they finished, a tear in space appeared and opened as Lunala and Solgaleo stepped out of it. Shadow bowed before the two great beasts. "Hello again, Shirogami," the both of them thought to him at the same time. Lunala went to hug Lilly as Solgaleo laid next to Alita. Shadow stopped bowing and went to Lunala.

"We need your help." Shadow said. "I could tell, I felt the rupture in the wormholes, me and my brother did," Lunala said. "Yes, it's because of a mon named Terra, and I feel I may be partially responsible for it." Shadow told her, bowing again. "It wasn't you, I felt the building of power for months, but was powerless to stop it," Lunala replied. "Oh okay." Shadow said. "Well what are we waiting for? We're wasting time the more we sit here and chat!" Shadow exclaimed. "I need to help this one, mother, I'll be back," Lunala told Lilly, gliding over to the wormhole again, "ready? Grab on," Lunala told shadow. Shadow got onto her back.

The second he was secured, she launched into the ultra wormhole "be mindful of the other beasts in here," Lunala told him, dodging an ultra beast. "Okay." Shadow said. "Sylvia, you ma'am are going to have to lead me, as I can't tell which world your 'Terra' entered," Lunala said. "The one with the U-004B Symbiont" Sylvia told her. "I'll try, if i can remember which one that is, ah here it is," Lunala said, curving into a black exit, "shit, forgot about this one... uh, I would say good luck, but you kinda need me to get home..." Lunala said, letting him off. "Okay." Shadow said then he started looking for Terra. Every pokemon that Shadow saw was monochrome.

This creeped Shadow out a bit. Just ignore the creepy things that look like a screwed up version of tentacruel. Leave them alone and they'll leave you alone. Shadow thought, continuing to search for Terra, he found her shortly after. "Shadow, please, don't, just, not right now..." Terra and Hades's voice said in unison, then the body fainted, returning back to the Jolteon form. "Good, you're back to normal." Shadow said, bringing her back to Lunala. "Thank you, I am in your debt." Shadow said. "Anything to help, I do not want you 'debt' whatever that is," Lunala said, holding Terra lightly and waiting for Shadow to get on, ancy to get out before the ruler finds them.

Shadow got on. "In other words I owe you." Shadow said. "No, I don't want anyone to feel like they need to do anything for me, but please, can we get out of here?" Lunala asked.. "Waiting for you, considering I'm on you and secure." Shadow said. Lunala jumped immediately and kept dodging exits, then dived right into a purple one with a shining ring. As soon as she passed through, Lunala let out a call, then set Terra down and let Shadow get off. Shadow went over to Alita, "welp now we have Terra, let's head home." Shadow said. Alita turned to Sol, who was still laying next to her, and said, "Bye, Sol, feel free to come by, all of you," Alita said, looking at Lunala and Lilly on that last part.

Shadow put Terra on his back. "Back down the steps," Alita said with distaste. "Unless there is a warp pad you're forgetting to mention again." Shadow said. "The one up here doesn't work, so yes, the steps it is." Alita said, starting her journey down them. Shadow ran down the stairs. "Show off," Alita mumbled as she continued her thousand step journey. "I heard that!" Shadow called back. "Well, you are one," Alita said. "Sorry to disappoint you!" Shadow called. "Nice river," Alita said, watching his path. "What river?" Shadow asked. "You shouldn't be running around like that, you could harm Terra," Alita said.

Shadow stopped running and just walked when she said that. Shadow put Terra on the pager and strapped her down then got on himself. Alita outstretched her arms as the charizard lifted off, it grabbed her and headed to the house. When they reached the house Shadow unstrapped him and Terra then put her on his back. "Welp Alita imma put her on the couch and then I'm headed home." Shadow said. "It was good meeting you, Shadow, I hope our paths cross again," Alita said. "If you are to come over, I'm sure it will." He said, then went inside and put Terra on the couch then went to the room Night entered and went through the portal, hiding his scratch marks with an illusion.

Night was at the exit, appearing to be passing by the exit. He hugged Shadow after a second. Shadow hugged him tightly. "Now what's all this about?" "thought you decided to stay," Night said. "No, I was helping with a problem Terra ended up having." Shadow said, "She'll probably be unconscious for a week." "By the way, where's Dusk?" He finished.

Meanwhile in the Abyss

Dusk was bowing to a form. "Yes Abyssius The target is safe." He said. "Good, make sure he stays that way, we cant have him falling," the dark pokemon said. "I'm going to continue to keep watch." He said, then rose and teleported back to outside the den, only to be tackled by a familiar flareon.

19,200 WORDS OH MY GOD THIS IS A LONG CHAPTER!!!!